Governor Kay Ivey has declared February 18-23, 2018, as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama. Advance planning and increased awareness can help you survive these deadly storms.

Severe weather can develop quickly. When severe weather develops and warnings are issued take immediate actions to protect yourself and others.

For severe weather preparedness plans to be successful, they must include:

Knowledge of terminology(such as watches and warnings)

Knowledge of safety rules when severe weather strikes

Reliable method of receiving emergency information

Designation of an appropriate shelter

Drills to test the plan

To help create your emergency preparedness kit, the state has declared February 23-25 as the 2018 Severe Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday. For details and a list of items included in the sales tax holiday see this comprehensive list.

The use of three dimensional (3D) printers is rapidly expanding. This innovative technology can create everything from manufacturing prototypes and biological scaffolds to buildings. The processes using 3D print technology are not without hazards. Toxic volatile chemicals, ultra fine (nano) particles and even biological contaminants may be generated depending on the equipment and applications.

The most common desktop 3D printers use molten polymers, either acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polylactic acid (PLA), as the filament ink. Both of these materials emit numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), many of them toxic. In addition to VOCs, the printing process generates nano particles which pose a respiratory hazard.

More novel applications involve the printing of biological scaffolds used to generate organs and other structures. The use of biological materials may require Institutional BioSafety committee approval and protocols to disinfect equipment.

Control measures to reduce the hazards associated with 3D printing include:

A complete risk assessment

Use of manufacturer’s recommended controls

Proper ventilation of the area, plus local exhaust ventilation if necessary

Use of low emission printer and material if possible

Enclosure of the printer

Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) including respirators if indicated by the risk assessment